Australian folk-pop band Little Quirks will start your week with a healthy dose of joyous music. ‘All My Friends Are Birds’ is a beautifully crafted song that steadily builds, swelling and growing on the foundation of a gorgeous melody. The timing is just right: when to add sonic layers and when to take them away for maximum effect. There are rhythmic handclaps and foot-stomps to drive the song forward but it’s the tuneful vocal performance and uplifting harmonies that are really at the centre of the song. ‘All My Friends Are Birds’ is catchy and memorable with an infectious and compelling energy. Inspired by Jaymi’s father, who likened birds to angels, the lyrical message is one of togetherness and support: “Birds fly high and take me home, // When I’m on my own…All my friends are birds, they take me home, they take me home, they take me // Right before the storm, I’m not alone, I’m not alone.” The sentiment is as disarming and likeable as the music. Jaymi explains further: “We talked about how it’s easy to forget that there are always people supporting you behind the scenes, so I think this song is a really nice, comforting reminder of that.”
This single is taken from the new EP ‘Call to Unknowns’, which is out now. Little Quirks is essentially a family that accidentally formed a band. Just for the fun creating and performing, sisters Mia and Abbey used to make music at family gatherings with their cousin Jaymi, using instruments previously used by their parents, who were in a touring band themselves in the 1990s. Given their obvious talents, it’s no surprise that these enjoyable, informal sessions turned into something more. At the heart of Little Quirks, you can still find the joy that was there in their humble beginnings. One of the things that makes Little Quirks so refreshing is their desire to be creatively involved in everything they’re associated with, from their own recordings and artwork to directing their own videos, making their costumes to designing their own merch. It’s all for the love of it and you can sample their fine sounds on their tour of the UK throughout October – check the dates here. In the meantime, enjoy this superb video.
